dual diagnosis

In the smartphone-dependent world, we find ourselves; there is an app for just about everything. While it’s fair to say that most applications have little real-life value, some programmers are designing apps that help people who are struggling with mental illness. In fact, there are significant swaths of people in recovery from mental health disorders, including addiction, which use smartphone apps to connect with other individuals for support. Given that a statistically significant percentage of Americans live in rural parts of the country having the ability to communicate with a broader community of people in recovery is invaluable, possibly preventing a relapse.

There are several applications that men and women turn to for guidance and support; Talkspace for instance, connects users with licensed therapists who specialize in anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Ginger.io offers emotional support coaching, therapy, and psychiatry for individuals living with mental illness; the app connects such people with therapists 24/7.

One aspect that makes Ginger standout is that it utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) to suggest treatments, The Daily Beast reports. It turns out that AI is likely going to be the future of mental health support applications; the tech can go further than merely offering sound advice, AI can predict a relapse before it happens. The implications of AI in the field of recovery, where the stakes are often life and death, is enormous.

Sober Community

Working a program of addiction recovery requires steadfast dedication; the potential for slipping up and returning to active use is high, especially early in the journey. Community, and being a part of one, actually serves to safeguard one’s recovery. Those who stick close to their support network are more likely to make progress. However, there are often scenarios when people in recovery relapse and it comes as a surprise to the group. An individual appears to be doing the work, attending meetings, and so-on-and-so-forth. Then one day, a meeting commences, and such-and-such is not in the room.

Addiction is a severe form of mental illness; those living with mental health disorders like an addiction sometimes refer to it as being cunning, baffling, and powerful. While an individual is taking steps to maintain sobriety, the disease is in the next room devising a plan to get back into the spotlight. Although, there are often signs, cues that are somewhat ubiquitous regarding the nature of relapse. Those who’ve been sober for a while can often spot someone on the edge of relapse; meanwhile, the person about to slip up hasn’t an idea of what the future holds. In some cases, an “old timer” might approach a recovery novice and suggest some changes to avert a problem; but, it is impossible to prevent every such scenario.

Relapse Prevention

One support app that is for people in addiction recovery is Sober Grid, the company’s website calls it, “a free peer support network right in your pocket to aid you in your recovery.” Sober Grid is similar to Facebook, and it connects people in all stages of recovery. The application came about in 2015 and is now part of more than 120,000 people’s lives. As with any app, there is a multitude of user data; developers could determine if a user had had an incident, i.e., relapse. Which led to a significant question, could those on the brink of decline be identified, and if so, could the app help prevent such an occurrence? According to Dr. Brenda Curtis at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, absolutely; relapses could be predicted using AI and potentially thwarted.

“The words people use reflect who they are (e.g., their personality) and how they feel (e.g., happy, depressed, stressed, relaxed). People using Sober Grid post messages and indicate the number of days they have been sober. We then build statistical models to predict sobriety or relapse from the frequencies with which words are used,” offered Lyle Unger, a professor of Computer and Information Science at the University of Pennsylvania and a co-investigator on the project.

When the algorithm spots signs of relapse on the horizon, Chris Pesce, COO of Sober Grid, says providing extra support to the user could spare them of such an event, according to the article. He says the app can digitally deliver the tools that addiction therapists know help people on the verge of returning to active substance use. If users opt-in to the program, Sober Grid would instantly connect them with coaches; time is not a luxury when it comes to preventing a relapse.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment

If you are struggling with alcohol, substance use disorder, and co-occurring mental illness, Synergy Group Services can assist you in your recovery. Please contact Synergy today to learn more about our programs.

Have you have ever sought help from an addiction treatment center in recent history, whether in the United States or abroad? If so, you were probably screened for other forms of mental illness. While it is important to have knowledge of any other condition(s) that could affect the quality of one’s life so that it can be treated, the reason for diagnostic screening in treatment is because co-occurring mental health disorders can complicate addiction and one’s opportunity at achieving lasting recovery.

Symptoms of anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression, et al., can be a driving force for continued use of drugs and alcohol—even when one knows that they are harmful. That is, you know that mind-altering substances are likely worsening the symptoms you are experiencing. Addiction accompanied by co-occurring mental illness is a regular occurrence. And it really does not matter which problem precipitated the other, what is vital is that both mental health disorders are treated simultaneously.

If your screening met the criteria for one or more mental illnesses, then you are probably aware that the success of your treatment leading to long-term abstinence or clean-time rested on a multifaceted treatment approach. One that addressed both issues concurrently. Treatment centers today stress the importance of not letting co-occurring disorders linger in the shadow while addiction is being treated. Just to have symptoms of depression or PTSD rear its ugly head upon discharge and trigger a relapse.

Receiving A Dual Diagnosis

Upon completion of a program in a residential treatment center, one whose program treated both your substance use disorder and co-occurring illness (commonly referred to as a dual diagnosis), you were probably referred to a psychologist or psychiatrist offsite for continued therapy and medication maintenance. People recovering from addiction understand that their condition is incurable, which is why even after treatment they continue to work a program of spiritual maintenance.

Depression for instance, like addiction, has no known cure, which means that one must stay on top of their condition, lest its symptoms lead to a return to self-medication by way of drugs or alcohol. To be clear, treating any form of mental illness does not always involve the use of medication. In some cases, talk therapy and holistic measures can mitigate the risk of one’s symptoms getting out of hand. The point is that each case is different, and people who have been touched by both addiction and a dual diagnosis should not eschew psychiatric help, due to a fear that they will just be trading one drug for another.

Your addiction counselors, therapists and treatment psychiatric support (i.e. psychiatrists and psychologists) will work with you to determine what is the best course of action for sustained, long-term recovery. It is vital that one stays the course after discharge. Untreated or unmanaged co-occurring disorders is one most common causes of relapse, but it can be avoided.

Untreated Mental Illness

May is Mental Health Month. A time to have an active role in encouraging those who have not been screened, diagnosed and treated for mental health disorders to seek help. Hundreds of millions of people around the world are living with untreated mental illness. Those of you who have risen from the ashes of untreated mental illness can play a huge role in ending the stigma that accompanies every form of mental health disorders. The nonprofit Mental Health America asks that you, “Don’t keep mental illness to yourself. There’s power in sharing.”

People around the country have taken to social media sharing what they are going through, what they have gone through using the #mentalillnessfeelslike. Sharing that help is available, and recovery is possible.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment

If you are struggling with a dual diagnosis, please contact Synergy Group Services. We utilize the benefits of traditional counseling in conjunction alternative medicine to achieve a synergistic outcome.

Did you know that up to five percent of children exhibit the signs and symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)? While pediatricians now regularly screen young patients for this condition, unfortunately, it still often goes undetected in adults.

ADHD left untreated can hamper your productivity at work, cause undue stress on your personal relationships and put you at greater risk of self-medicating with drugs and alcohol. Given that, it is important to understand the patterns of behavior associated with this diagnosis to reduce your risk of addiction and improve your quality of life.

Below includes a few of the most common symptoms of ADHD. If these sound familiar, you should consult a licensed therapist to get an accurate diagnosis.

3 Behaviors Associated with ADHD

(1) You find it hard to follow a conversation.

Have you ever started talking to someone and suddenly found yourself at a loss for words because you had lost track of what they were talking about? One of the most profound symptoms of adult ADHD is an inability to focus while getting distracted easily. While it’s normal to have your mind wander from time to time, it may be a sign of ADHD if this happens to you frequently throughout your day.

(2) You’re chronically late to appointments and forget to pay bills on time.

Paying your phone bill one or two days past the due date certainly doesn’t guarantee a diagnosis of ADHD. But, if this becomes a regular occurrence, you might do some self-refection. Is this a busy season in your life, or has this been a regular occurrence throughout your adult life?

(3) You buy things you don’t really need and can’t stick to a budget.

Have you ever gone grocery shopping, only to come home and realize that you bought WAY too much food? Or, do you regularly get deliveries of clothes that you bought online and can’t afford? A pattern of impulsive shopping behavior is one of the most common signs of ADHD among adults.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment in Florida

Did you know that 70 percent of people with a substance use disorder are also battling an additional psychiatric condition. If you or someone you love is suffering from addiction and a co-occurring mental illness (such as ADHD) don’t wait to seek treatment. As addiction worsens, so does the co-occurring condition — and vice versa. Contact Synergy Group today so we can start treating both diseases simultaneously. Call: (888) 267-8070 to learn more about our dual diagnosis treatment options.